In addition to having the No. 1 Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction herd of Gelbvieh females, Judd Ranch has numerous Red Angus and Balancer (Gelbvieh X Red Angus and Gelbvieh X Angus) females. These superior females were handpicked from top herds and combine more than six generations of objective performance with structural soundness, gentle disposition and marketability.

These Red Angus and Balancer females are part of a total AI program, with all Red Angus and Angus sires being complete package sires with superior carcass merit. Resulting offspring are sold in Judd Ranch female and bull sales.

Why Red Angus?

When Judd Ranch opted to have a second breed, Red Angus was logical choice. Why? Because Red Angus females match Judd Ranch’s stringent breed criteria: maternal excellence, tremendous fertility, gentle disposition, heat tolerance, efficiency (grain and grass) and moderate frame.

 Judd Ranch’s Red Angus females were selected for their ability to produce sons that will sire calves that post impressive average daily gains, produce industry-acceptable carcass weights and hit USDA Choice and daughters that will cycle, breed, calve and rebreed on time. These daughters will set the pace within the most discriminating herds.

Judd Ranch has found that Red Angus meets the demands of today’s cattle industry and offers a significant number of advantages for profit-minded producers.

Why Balancers?

Balancers are a Gelbvieh X Angus or Gelbvieh X Red Angus hybrid seedstock that range from 25 percent to 75 percent Gelbvieh with the balance Angus or Red Angus. Balancers are recognized and recorded with the American Gelbvieh Association and have documented pedigrees and EPDs. All Balancers are polled.

Judd Ranch added Balancers to its program for two key reasons:

· Balancers combine Gelbvieh’s growth, muscle, leanness, fertility and unequaled pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed with the calving ease and marbling of Angus or Red Angus.

· Balancers give Judd Ranch customers an alternative sire power or female base.

Documented research from the US Meat Animal Research Center shows that Balancers offer as much consistency as using the parental breeds separately. There is no difference between composites and purebreds for birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, finished weight, percent retail product, puberty, gestation length or scrotal size.

Dr. Harlan Ritchie, distinguished animal science professor, Michigan State University, notes, “Hybrid genetics are successful in combining reproduction, growth and carcass traits into simple, well-designed breeding programs for the commercial industry. The use of F1 (first cross resulting from two purebred parents) bulls much like the Balancer program goes a long ways towards providing a simple crossbreeding solution.”